via Pisana

The via Pisana project, in Florence, occupies three blocks beside the Arno, and uses vacant space in the core of a block occupied by an old gas reservoir no longer in use. In spite of the charm of the place in its partly abandoned state, the architects chose to concentrate on new ways of living in the area rather than on conserving traces of the past. Designed to fit a low budget, their proposal comprises both the rehabilitation of existing buildings and a carefully designed extension to suit the scale of the local urban fabric. Laid out around laneways, patios and galleries, the nine dwellings extend, in their rear courts, private spaces that make no effort at representation. Clearly, the rapprochement between old structures and new additions holds to a similarity of form of access, the shape of a stairwell or that of a terrace. Everything is formulated in sober manner. The dwellings range from 50 to 100 square meters in area, and some have rooftop terrace.